This invention relates to a processing system for a food product, and more particularly to a meat processing arrangement in which the meat product is sequentially moved through processing chambers.
Various systems are known for processing food products which are suspended from carrier structures. One such system is a continuous or in-line processing system, which provides a product inlet at one end and a product outlet at the other. Between the inlet and the outlet are various processing zones or chambers. For example, the product may first be supplied to a smoke zone, and then discharged therefrom into a cook zone. From the cook zone, the product passes into a hot water zone, and thereafter to a brine chill zone prior to discharge. This type of system is known for its simplicity in design, dependable performance and easy operation. However, this type of system is also subject to product drift, in that it is difficult to isolate the zones from each other by providing a discrete borderline or boundary between the zones. Additionally, installation of this type of system is limited to an area having a length sufficient to accommodate the length of the physical components of the system.
The present invention has as its object to provide a processing system having greater flexibility in layout than previous systems, and also to provide discrete boundaries between the various zones of the processing operation.
In accordance with the invention, a food product processing system comprises a plurality of processing chambers, each chamber having a product inlet and a product outlet. The chambers are arranged in a non-linear fashion, and are isolated from each other such that the outlet of one chamber is spaced from the inlet of the chamber downstream therefrom. Product advancing means is provided for advancing the food product through the plurality of processing chambers and for providing movement of the food product through the space between the outlet of one of the chambers and the inlet of the chamber downstream therefrom. In a preferred embodiment, each chamber has its product inlet and its product outlet formed in a sidewall of the chamber, and the outlet of one chamber is preferably substantially aligned with the inlet to the downstream chamber. The product is carried on a plurality of individual product carriers, which are suspended from an overhead rail. Each product carrier has a wheeled trolley assembly movably mounted on the rail. The advancing means preferably comprises a chain drive system which moves the suspended product carriers on the rail. The chain drive system preferably includes a plurality of individual conveyances or loops, each including a drive run located over the rail and a return run spaced laterally from the drive run. The loops are preferably arranged such that a single drive assembly is disposed between and drives two loops, one of which advances the product carriers at a relatively slow speed through a processing chamber, and the other of which advances the product carriers between processing chambers at a relatively fast speed. The rail is arranged in a continuous loop, passing through the various processing chambers. In a preferred embodiment, the rail passes by an unloading area after discharge from the final processing chamber, and by a loading area prior to entry into the inlet of the initial processing chamber. Each product carrier preferably includes an upper product carrying area and a lower product carrying area. The elevation of the rail preferably varies adjacent the loading area so as to accommodate loading of the product onto the upper and lower product carrying areas. Preferably, a carrier washing chamber is arranged between the final processing chamber and the initial processing chamber. The carriers are passed through the washing chamber after discharge from the final chamber and prior to entry into the initial chamber.
In advancing the product through the various chambers, the rail preferably enters each chamber through its sidewall in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chamber. Inside the chamber, the rail is preferably disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the chamber, and the individual product carriers follow the path of the rail. To achieve maximum product density within the interior of each chamber, the product trees are capable of turning relative to the rail so as to remain substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the chamber during entry into the chamber, passage of the product carriers through the chamber, and during discharge of the carriers from the chamber.
The invention also contemplates a method of processing a food product, substantially in accordance with the foregoing description.